Copper "feather" (miner carving) Hauck Coll.

Item Description

Michigan copper "feathers" were made by miners in the late 1800s and early 1900s to while the time away between shifts or on breaks, and in fact the skill of carving these "feathers" with dull metal chisels was a highly refined and competitive art form. Many were presented as gifts to fellow miners or management. This is very large and very fine example of the kind of sculpture and was made from three pieces of copper soldered together. The number of chisel marks is high on this copper with a rich patina, indicating the length of time and care taken to remove it in a strip, usually in competition with othe rminers to see who could make the longest copper strips without breaking them. The back has been buffed smooth. Anyway, it is not made in the ground but it IS nevertheless a a highly significant Michigan mining artifact, that fits in well with a fine mineral collection of coppers. Ex Richard Hauck Collection.